Brennan ‘wants to fast track motorway plans’
The minister made the announcement yesterday when he cut the tape on the new E108 million Watergrasshill bypass in Co Cork, the opening of which was four months ahead of schedule.
He said he was committed to creating a southern route similar to the Dublin-Belfast motorway.
“To date, 55 kilometres of new road had been completed between Dublin and Cork, 37 kilometres is under construction at an estimated cost of almost 350 million and 175 kilometres, requiring a total investment of 1.5 billion, is at various stages of planning,” Mr Brennan said.
National Roads Authority chairman Peter Molone said the completion of a super highway would cut the travelling time between Dublin and Cork by one hour.
The new Watergrasshill bypass was built to handle a capacity of 55 thousand cars a day. It will take 18,000 cars out of the village and will carry an estimated daily volume of 27,000 vehicles by 2014.
The dual carriageway, built by Bowen Mowlem limited, will be connected to the proposed Fermoy bypass, construction of which is due to start next year.
County manager Maurice Moloney told Mr Brennan that while new roads were very welcome it was essential that public transport in the Cork region was also upgraded. He said average traffic speeds in the city were 14 mph at present and predicted to fall to 5 mph within the next 20 years.
“We’re pushing very strongly for an early decision on the plan to upgrade the commuter line from Blarney to Midleton,” Mr Moloney said.
He pleaded with the minister to give the project the go ahead, emphasising that the rail upgrade would cost around €130 million
Mr Brennan told delighted hurling fans that the reason the Watergrasshill bypass was opened so soon was to allow a speedier return of the McCarthy cup to Cork.
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